


“Who’s Bob Ross?” (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

by mediocrityexpert



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Originally Posted on Tumblr
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:08:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25818592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mediocrityexpert/pseuds/mediocrityexpert
Summary: Bucky returns home after a long trip. But he's worried that you've fallen in love with another guy. Some guy named Bob.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Reader, James "Bucky" Barnes & You, James "Bucky" Barnes/Reader, James "Bucky" Barnes/You
Comments: 2
Kudos: 72





	“Who’s Bob Ross?” (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

Bucky didn’t realize how much he missed pizza. Specifically the tiny 24/7 pizzeria that sold $1 slices around the block where he lived.

Sure, the shop wasn’t going to get Michelin Stars anytime soon (whatever those were), but eating greasy goodness at 2 am after arriving from a two-month-long mission in Prague meant that they’d get Bucky Stars. And, according to Bucky’s book of life (and he was pretty old), those meant a lot more.

Besides, Prague didn’t have NYC-styled pizza. And they also didn’t have you.

Bucky ordered a pie to go and quickly made his way to the apartment, hoping you were still awake so he could surprise you.

You and Bucky had been dating for quite a while. You were one of the doctors assigned to the Avengers team, and since Bucky got hurt _a lot_ , he visited you... _a lot_. At first, you mainly led the one-sided conversation, constantly afraid that your babble would make his ears fall off and you’d have to stitch those up, too. He’d always respond with a rough nod or grunt, shoulders incredibly tense and long hair covering his facial expressions, if he had any.

But after several months, he started to warm up to you and often vented about his missions or frustrations with teammates, especially since he no longer had Steve as a soundboard. You could’ve just referred him to the team’s psychiatrist, but you felt honored that he chose you as a confidante.

Of course, Sam found out pretty quickly about the blooming friendship when he walked in earlier than usual for his appointment and saw Bucky laughing–actually _laughing and grinning_ –at your corny jokes.

He tried any and every method to set you guys up and admit your feelings to one another, but since you were a doctor who felt a romantic doctor-patient relationship was quite unethical, Sam found a way to reassign you from Barnes to him. Sam would constantly pester you about Bucky to the point that, after another annoying Sam appointment, you took Sam’s hint of where Bucky was (the training room, typical) and rushed over there to kiss the stunned soldier. The rest was history.

Yet this was the first time in your relationship that Bucky had to be away for more than a month. And although both of you FaceTimed as often as possible (Sam was always irritated that he had to re-teach the old man how to accept and not hang-up a video call), he was afraid that the distance would ruin what you guys had.

And his fear heightened when the video calls got shorter and shorter, and you always seemed to say you were busy.

Were you getting tired of him? Could you no longer handle him and his immense baggage? You already had so much on your plate…

Were you interested in someone else? Realized you deserved someone better? He remembered Dr. Strange taking a liking to you when he first met you. You dismissed Bucky’s initial worries (“Strange?! _Ha_! No way, that’d be a strange idea, no pun intended hehe. But the dude was a legendary surgeon, so he was sharing some stories.”)…but what if he should still be concerned?

Which was why he was basically running up the stairs, pizza box in one hand and his duffle bag in the other. He was afraid that he wouldn’t be able to empty the duffle bag after all, if you had decided that maybe he wasn’t the one.

As he opened the door to the apartment, the only thing that could be heard was his heart erratically beating out of his chest. He turned on the lights, hoping to see you asleep on the couch. But the kitchen and living room were eerily empty. It was late, anyway.

He saw a faint light shining from where the bedroom was. Were you up, then?

Quietly closing the main door and dropping his bag, he silently made his way to the entrance of the bedroom, placing his ears against the door, trying to hear if you were awake. And his eyes widened when he heard your wonderful laughter followed by what he was most dreading.

“Yes, let’s get crazy, Bob!” More giggles, followed by a pleasant sigh.

Bob? Who was Bob? So you were cheating on him?! He felt his heart tearing into two as he twisted the doorknob and pushed, bracing for what was coming…

Only to be incredibly confused by the sight before him.

You were kneeling before the bedroom wall facing the opposite of Bucky, painting the once-white walls that were now covered in various shades of green. _You_ were covered in various shades of green, flecks of paint all over your hair, body, and clothing.

“Huh? Oh, babe, you’re home!” you exclaimed as you stood up and rushed over to him. “And you got pizza, ugh perfect timing, I’m starving!”

You took the pizza box from him and laid it on the floor before embracing him. You then quickly pulled back. 

“Shit, I forgot I have paint all over me! I’m so sorry! Wait, Bucky, what’s wrong?”

You gazed at him with concerned eyes, as Bucky just froze and stared past you and gazed at the walls. Hell, the whole bedroom. The wooden floor was covered by tarps as furniture and art supplies had been scattered everywhere. It was as if he was transported to a forest, the walls filled with the classic New England deciduous trees and the occasional stream and waterfall.

And in the corner of the room was your laptop displaying a video of a man with a crazy afro painting away, calmly chattering.

With Bucky still shocked into silence, you nervously scratched the back of your neck and started your usual rapid monologue.

“Crap, I wanted to surprise you. And I was almost done, too! I didn’t realize you were coming home tonight or else I would’ve finished more quickly. I’m sorry I didn’t even ask if you wanted this but I was reading some studies showing that rooms filled with plants can lower stress and since I can’t actually water and take care of a plant before it dies, I mean, I even kill cacti, I decided that–“

“It’s beautiful.”

Those two words, said with so much awe, immediately made you shut up and grin widely. “Really?! I know you liked that trail we hiked in the Catskills. Thought I’d model off of that!”

Bucky’s eyes softened and closed for a brief second as if imagining that you both were actually at the trail. He grabbed your hands and felt a tiny smile tugged up his lips. “You didn’t have to do this, doll.”

“You love that place. Probably one of few times I’ve seen you so…peaceful. And I know sometimes nights can be rough and dreams can be…far from pleasant. So I wanted to make sure you can find a happy spot that can take you away from the bad ones.”

He kissed you softly on the cheek before reaching your lips, not caring that there was still dry green paint on your face. “Thank you. You’re a brilliant artist.”

You laughed and pointed to your laptop. “You can thank Bob Ross for that.”

Bob. He couldn’t believe he thought you were cheating on him with a guy named Bob when you were actually just talking to the computer. Wait… 

“Wait, doll, who’s Bob Ross? Why are you talking to him on a computer?”

You rolled your eyes at your confused boyfriend, whose grip on your hips slightly tightened when you mentioned the name. It would make sense he wouldn’t know the popular painting show from the 80s/90s, but sometimes you forgot he was over 100-years-old when he occasionally acted like a jealous teenager.

You snaked your arms around his neck, laughed and kissed him before grabbing a slice of pizza for you and him. “Oh honey, you have much to learn. Instead of me telling you, let’s just watch an episode together. You guys actually have a few things in common.”

“Wait, should I be worried?”

“Bucky-!”

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry if there are any typos, but there are no mistakes only happy accidents :)


End file.
